The Poison Free Wildlife Act Awaits California Governor's Decision

Not my photo. Photo address copied respectfully from Wikipedia.

The Poison-Free Wildlife Act has moved through the California Senate and now awaits Governor Newsom's final decision. If passed, this will impose stricter regulations on the sale of rat-poisons (anticoagulant rodenticides) and will broaden the current ban to encompass all varieties of anticoagulant poisons. 

This incredibly important bill will help to keep California's wildlife safe after a study done by the California Fish & Wildlife Services found that a whopping 88% of raptors & 95% of mountain lions tested positive for rodenticides.

Why Ban These Poisons?

These styles of poisons are used frequently as a means of "treating" rat infestations. Rats who consume this poison will soon after bleed from the inside as their organs inevitably fail. It's most assuredly a torturous experience, but worst of all, it doesn't end with the rats. As the rats suffer the effects of being poisoned and become lethargic and disoriented, predatory animals see them as easy targets. This means owls, hawks, foxes, coyotes, and mountain lions are all at risk of becoming poisoned as a result of consuming a polluted rat. If they've consumed enough of the poison, it renders them unable to hunt / escape predators and will ultimately lead to their death without treatment.

The unintended targets of these anticoagulant rodenticides are what the bill aims to shine a light on / tackle. Innocent predatory animals are succumbing to being poisoned as a result of hunting for food and finding easy prey. Not to mention, children and pets can also inadvertently come in to contact with poison through infected species or even bait boxes. These poisons are indiscriminate and target anyone and anything that comes in to contact with them. They are unsafe, particularly on public land, and put so many innocent, unintended species at risk.

The only option is to ban these horrific rodenticides. We have the power to save wildlife and the we can do this! Learn more through the link attached at the top of this post to the original story from World Animal News.

HAPPY VEG